Language games using homophones in english classes=trò chơi ngôn ngữ sử dụng từ đồng âm trong các lớp học tiếng anh

VINH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ==== ?&@==== LANGUAGE GAMES USING HOMOPHONES IN ENGLISH CLASSES (TRÒ CHƠI NGÔN NGỮ SỬ DỤNG TỪ ĐỒNG ÂM TRONG CÁC LỚP HỌC TIẾNG ANH) GRADUATION THESIS FIELD: METHODOLOGY Student: TRẦN THỊ HẢO, 47A1 Supervisor: PHAN VÂN HƯƠNG, M.A. VINH, 2010 i VINH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ==== ?&@==== TRẦN THỊ HẢO LANGUAGE GAMES USING HOMOPHONES IN ENGLISH CLASSES (TRÒ CHƠI NGÔN NGỮ SỬ DỤNG TỪ ĐỒNG ÂM TRONG CÁC LỚP HỌC TIẾNG ANH) GRADUATION THESIS FIELD: METHODOLOGY VINH, 2010 ii Acknowledgment For the completion of this work, I have been fortunate to receive invaluable contributions from many people. First of all, I should like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Mrs. Phan Van Huong, M.A for her expert advice, excellent suggestions and detailed comments, without which the work would not have been completed. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all my classmates for their various kinds of help and encouragement. I repeat my thanks to my brother for all the useful web sites he gave to me with constant support. Finally, I am too aware that despite all the advice and assistance, I feel that the project is far from perfect; it is, therefore, my sole responsibility for any inadequacies and shortcomings that the thesis may be considered to have. Vinh, May, 10 th , 2010 Tran Thi Hao iii Abstract Homophone is a topic that has been studied by a number of students in our department. In fact, it is an interesting topic, and it is really useful for English learners. In this thesis, the author gives the readers a brief account of information about homonyms and homophones in terms of semantics. The comparison of English and Vietnamese homophones is also mentioned to help the readers know more about this topic. More importantly, the author gives some main types of games using homophones for teaching English. These will be illustrated by specific examples and practice to help the readers understand and use homophones for games effectively. iv Abbreviations A: answer C.f.: compare E.g.: example N: noun PP: past participle Q: question Sb: somebody Vs.: versus v Table of Content Page Acknowledgement .i Abstract .ii Abbreviations .iii Table of contents .iv PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. Justification of the Study .1 2. Aims of the Study .2 3. Research questions 3 4. Scope of the Study .3 5. Methods of the Study 4 6. Format of the Study . 4 PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1.1. Word and Word Meanings .6 1.1.1. The Notion of Word 6 1.1.2. Characteristics of Words .7 1.1.3. Word Meaning 9 1.1.3.1. Words as Meaningful Units 9 1.1.3.2. Components of Word-meaning .… 10 a. Denotative Meaning 10 b. Connotative Meaning 10 c. Structural/ Associative Meanings .11 d. Categorial Meaning .13 1.2. Homonymy 13 1.2.1. Definition 13 1.2.2. Homonymy and Polysemy 13 vi 1.2.3. Types of Homonyms 16 1.2.3.1. Full Homonyms .16 1.2.3.2. Homophones 17 1.2.3.3. Homographs 17 1.3. Language Games 17 CHAPTER 2: HOMOPHONES IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE 2.1. Overall Understanding of Vietnamese and English 20 2.1.1. Language Family 20 2.1.2. Language Type 20 2.1.3. Vocabulary 21 2.1.4. Grammar .21 2.2. Types of Homophones in Vietnamese and English .23 2.3. The Use of Homophones in Games in English .24 CHAPTER 3: LANGUAGE GAMES USING HOMOPHONES 3.1. Homophone Games 25 3.2. The Benefits 25 3.3. Types .26 3.3.1. Visual Aid Homophone Games .26 a. Definition .26 b. The Aim and the Object .26 c. The Method and Practice 27 3.3.2. Homophone Quiz 31 a. Definition .31 b. The Aim and the Object .31 c. The Method and Practice .31 3.3.3. Riddle 35 a. Definition .35 b. The Aim and the Object .36 c. The Method and Practice 36 vii 3.4. Suggested Tips for Controlling Effective Homophone Games 38 PART III: CONCLUSION Review of the Study 40 Applications of the Study .41 Suggestions for Further Studies .41 REFERENCES APPENDIXES viii PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. Justification of the Study English has become an international language and it is becoming more and more important in all fields of our life. Learning English well is not at all an easy task. Homophone is a difficult but interesting part of English. Sometimes what are pronounced similarly have different meanings and totally distinguish from each other. Homophone plays an important role in forming the abundance and variety of English. That also forms great interest for English learners. Mastering 'homophone' helps us to possess a huge knowledge of English vocabulary and the way to use them in various situations. Knowing about homophone the students can improve their pronunciation. When they can master a huge number of homophones, it will be easy for them to recognize and pronounce the words accurately. Therefore, their speaking English skill one of four main skills in studying English, is enhanced step by step. Taking part in interesting homophone games the students not only can relax, be more active and creative but they can also develop their knowledge and practice their listening and speaking English. In fact, language learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and challenging as well. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation. Homophone really works when the teachers want to bring the students good knowledge of vocabulary or speaking skills and listening ones. Language 1 games are widely used by many teachers when they want to catch the students' attention at the beginning of the class, to help them relax during the lesson, or even in any club in terms of entertainment only. Therefore, the connection of homophone and games is really interesting and useful in teaching. Language games using homophones catch much attention from both teachers and students. That can be used in classes, in clubs, between pairs, in the whole class or among the crowd, which is really helpful to bring amusing atmosphere with the high educational function by forming the students’ ability to have a good reaction, developing their intelligence, their creativity or enlarging their knowledge of English words, and promoting language skills. For the above mentioned reasons, the author has decided to carry out a study entitled “Language games using homophones in English classes” with the hope to contribute useful ways to improve languages skills in learning English with higher pedagogical values. 2. Aims of the Study The thesis has been done with the aims to: - help the author and the readers to understand more deeply the subject “lexicology and semantics” which is vital in any English course by catching the view of homophone and some kinds of homophone, also several important points of semantics such as word and characteristics of word, word meanings, components of word meanings. - enable the readers to master English vocabulary, which seems to be very difficult to any foreign language learners, and use them effectively in many communicative contexts. - point out a brief account of differences between Vietnamese and English homophones, which are resulted from the overall differences between Vietnamese and English languages, to help the readers understand homophones more profoundly and use them more effectively in various 2